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| 4/8/2009 4:12:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Orville Schmidt
Orville Schmidt, 76, of Gettysburg, died Saturday, April 4, 2009 at his home.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30a.m., Saturday, April 11 at the United Methodist Church in Gettysburg with Pastor Suzie O'Connell officiating. Burial will follow at the Gettysburg Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be from 1-5:30 p.m., Friday, April 10, at the Luce Funeral Home in Gettysburg with a 5:30 p.m. prayer service.
Orville Gene Schmidt was born March 10, 1933 at Ideal, SD to Cornelius and Pauline (Woehl) Schmidt. He graduated from Winner High School in 1951. He served in the army from 1953-1955 during the Korean War. On June 4, 1955 he married Marcine Smith.
Orville grew up in the Winner area. When he was younger he worked for local farmers and ranchers to help his parents support his family of 9 children. He was a left-handed pitcher for the Kennebec City team for several years in the days when being a lefty was rare. He also was a boxer while he was in high school. When he returned from the war, he went to work for H.V. (Buck) Smith, Marcine's father, in the gas business and in 1962 moved his family to Gettysburg to run the Standard Oil bulk dealership which he did until his retirement in 1990. He also ran the Standard station on Hwy 212 for a number of years. He was a member of the Legion and VFW.
Orville loved to fish and tell stories. He was a member of the Gettysburg Wrestling Development Club and served as bus driver for the fan bus the club drove to away matches in the late 70's and early 80's. He loved all sports and seldom missed a home event. He spoke fluent German and loved to help his grand kids with their German. Most of the times they had to tell him to slow down so they could keep up!
He is survived by four children: Vickie (Vern) DeKnikker of Zillah WA, Tamela (Jim) Towne of Langdon ND, Larry (Kay) Schmidt of Gettysburg and Gene Schmidt of Sandstone, MN; three brothers: Lyle (Donna) of Cody, WY, Merle (Betty) of Sioux Falls, and Dale of Sioux Falls; four sisters: Shirley Van Matre of Pierre, Darlene (Darrell) Foss of Winner, Doreen Bolander of Winner and Carol (Gary) Hedlund of Huron; six grandchildren: Sharon DeKnikker, Kim (Dave) Cutler, Laura and Lea Towne and Kaycee and Blaine Schmidt and 3 great grandchildren Lars and Ian Pederson and Miah Towne.
He was preceded in death by his wife Marcine; an infant daughter; his parents; one sister, three brothers-in-law and two sisters-in-law. Online condolences may be left at www.familyfuneralhome.net
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